Hello friends, I hope you have had a chance to recharge your batteries this past weekend and that you are feeling happy and refreshed as we start a new week!

For today’s Professional Spotlight, I am so delighted to share with you the work of a seriously talented and beyond creative sweet soul. Meet Mana Abosaid, Creative Director and Lead Planner of Birds & Honey, a boutique event planning and design studio based in Edmonton, AB (but traveling worldwide). With a focus on bespoke, one of a kind events and celebrations, Mana’s job is to help amazing people plan the wedding of their dreams…and that she does beautifully. I first came across Mana’s work on Instagram (of course!) and absolutely fell in love with her aesthetic, brand and the genuine warmth that radiates through each of her posts. It is such a pleasure to share with you a little Q&A with this amazing lady. I hope you will enjoy!

WHAT SPARKED YOUR LOVE OF WEDDING PLANNING AND STYLING?

B & H: My love of planning sparked from my own engagement back in 2009. Back then, there wasn’t a whole lot to choose from and I felt that there wasn’t anything that I could relate to. I prefer cleaner, more minimal and timeless design so I decided to plan it my way. Once my wedding was over I realized that this is what I was supposed to do. I knew there were other brides out there looking for a more understated style, and just like that Birds & Honey was born.

ALL OF YOUR WEDDINGS EXUDE A SENSE OF LIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL HARMONY. CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE INSIGHT INTO YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS AND WHAT GOES INTO WORKING WITH YOUR CLIENTS TO CREATE SUCH MAGIC?

B & H: I am a firm believer in the less is more mantra. I will always base each and every design on my couples and their own personal styles. Their story is the basis for their wedding design. I always hold a meeting with the couple to discuss their ideas and what’s important to them; each couple is completely different and no ceremony or reception in my eyes has been the same. It’s their day and it’s my role to make it all come to life.

I LOVE THE NAME OF YOUR BUSINESS, BIRDS & HONEY, AND THE FACT THAT IT IS INFUSED WITH YOUR PERSIAN HERITAGE. I LOVE THE TRADITION YOU MENTION ON YOUR WEBSITE OF COUPLES DIPPING THEIR PINKIES IN HONEY AND FEEDING IT TO EACH OTHER WHEN THEY ARE PRONOUNCED HUSBAND AND WIFE. CAN YOU SHARE ANY OTHER SWEET PERSIAN WEDDING TRADITIONS?

B & H: What sets Persian weddings apart is their tradition-infused ceremony. The ceremony is rich with old customs and stunning details conducted in an intimate setting around an elaborate spread of symbolic items to ward off the evil eye. The spread, which is called sofreh aghd, often has food and floral arrangements, among other things, as well as a mirror called a aayeneh-ye bakht, which is the mirror of fate. For Persians, marriage is an important day not only for the couple, but also for the two families uniting as one. Another aspect I love is that nowadays brides incorporate bits and pieces from their own life onto the spread and they can choose to pass it down to their daughters. There is something truly beautiful about that to me.

I THINK WE ALL HAVE A FAVORITE WEDDING “MOMENT”. WHAT IS YOURS?

B & H: Oh man, there are so many favorites. But, if I had to choose one moment it would be the father/daughter dance. It gets me every time. My father passed away a few years ago and at every wedding I plan or attend this part of the night connects me to my baba.

AND JUST FOR FUN, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WEDDING MOVIE?

B & H: Don’t judge me, but I actually dislike most wedding movies, they always seem to show everyone in the worst possible light. If I had to choose something wedding related it would probably be a Bollywood movie, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai!!

A HUGE thank you to this inspiring lady for taking the time out of her busy schedule to share a little bit of herself with us. Be sure to follow Birds & Honey on Instagram for regular peeks into her pretty and magical work. Mana will also be styling and designing at The Three Dudes workshop in beautiful Havana, Cuba from February 22-26, 2016, you can get more information for this incredible experience here.

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Hello, I’m Eva

This blog is a place of daydreams and a celebration of beauty in its simplest forms...the softness of a blush bouquet of garden roses, the way a rainy day refreshes the spirit and the awakening fragrance of bold coffee and freshly baked sweet bread at the local shop. These are my daily joys.